


One for Sorrow, Two for Joy

by LyonsDen



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-05
Updated: 2013-12-05
Packaged: 2018-01-03 14:04:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1071325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LyonsDen/pseuds/LyonsDen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jemma has been avoiding Grant and he wants to know why.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One for Sorrow, Two for Joy

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fan fic ever- it's not very good. I'm not a writer so apologize for the many errors I'm sure you will find. But, I love Ward and Simmons together and my heart is breaking knowing that the show is going in a Skyeward direction. So I came up with this little drabble...

Grant Ward enjoyed his sleep. He enjoyed closing his eyes and letting his other sense take the lead. His ears would scan the Bus for sounds that shouldn’t be there. His body sought out certain vibrations- a door closing or footsteps headed to the kitchen. And, then all at once, his tactical mind would start to quiet down to a mere whisper.

Tonight, however, Grant Ward could not sleep .Jemma Simmons was avoiding him, and for reasons he didn’t understand, it bothered him.  
She was subtle about it. They would play scrabble and she’d laugh and act normal with the rest of the team, but the minute it was just the two of them she had notes to type up or samples to check on. Just the other night Ward was reading in the lounge when she came in. Ward pretended not to notice her, but as a trained spy he noticed everything. Like how she stiffen so violently at the sight of him she almost spilled her tea. Or, how quickly and quietly she slipped back out of the room.

Typically, he would prefer people to avoid him. He took great pleasure in solitude. But, Simmons made him laugh and he found himself missing her presence.  
Ward decided a workout would be better use of his time then his failed attempt at sleep. So he slipt out of bed, pulled a tank top over his head, and made his way down the spiral stairs where he noticed the lights on in the lab.

At the bottom he was surprise at the sight of the little Biochemist sitting at her counter writing and listening to her music. She was in a pale blue pajama set. The shorts showing off a pair of legs that Grant Ward didn’t know she had. Ward took a moment to watch her. Her slippers were on the floor and she had her bare feet curled under her. She rested her chin in her hand and her hair was pulled away from her face into a ponytail. Ward was reminded how young she was once again.

Jemma Simmons was so far away in some other land that she didn’t even hear the doors as they open. Nor did she notice Ward as he stood behind her looking over her shoulder.

“I didn’t know you could draw.” Came Wards voice and Jemma practically fell off her stool. Lucky for her, Ward had been expecting that and placed his hands on her hips to steady her.

“Ward, you gave me a Myocardial infarction.” Jemma said taking a few breaths “figuratively, of course.”

“Of course.” Said Ward with a smile. His hands still lingering around her hips before slowly letting go. “What are you doing up?”

“I couldn’t sleep.” Jemma shrugged “I assume the same goes for you.”

“Yes, I figured I’d go a few rounds with the punching bag. And, apparently you thought you’d draw... birds?” Ward said reaching around her to grab the drawing pad as she attempted to conceal it.

“Magpies, technically. However, my specialty is drawing hearts and internal organs. ” Jemma stood up and with a wide smile and made a motion for Grant to leave. “But don’t let me keep you from your workout.”

“Why Magpies?” Ward flipped to the next page which was of two Magpies on a branch. Simmons made to the grab the side of the notebook and pull it away, but Grant just caught her hand and held it his.

“Silly really, I had child’s nursery rhyme about seven Magpies stuck in my head.” Simmons words came out in a rush and the hand that Ward held had a slight tremble to it. “Although I’m not particularly certain of it’s origins I would presume it’s English. ”

“There’s two here, what does that mean?”

“One for sorrow, Two for joy.” Jemma recited “Ward I really think you should-”

Ward wasn’t listening. He was tired of Simmons avoiding him. Of pushing him away. He liked the way her hand felt in his. He rubbed his fingers against hers trying to memorize the feel of her- the soft calluses on her pointer finger and thumb from her time holding a scalpel. Other then that she was perfect.

“Three and Four?”

“Three for a girl, Four for a boy. I’m actually quite tired, I think I’ll turn-” Simmons used her free hand to grab for the notebook again. This time Ward drop the notebook to the counter and grabbed her other wrist and pulled her close.

“Five and Six?” Ward said with a smile. He enjoyed seeing Simmons all flustered.

“Five for Silver, Six for Gold. Ward you’re not listening!” She was pushing away from him now. A losing battle consider, the young biochemist had no upper body strength to speak of.

“And, Seve-?” Laughed Ward.

“-I saw you with May”

Simmons knew that logically no one could actually see sounds or words, but in that moment she would have sworn she saw her words visibly hit Ward, pushing him against the counter opposite her, ripping the smile from his face, and then dissipating in the air so that she would never be able to take them back.

In for a penny, in for a pound her mum used to say, so Simmons took a deep breath and collected herself before beginning again.

“In Seville, I saw you and May in Seville.” Simmons took another breath “I have a cousin at University there. We went out for dinner, then drinks, and then dancing. I didn’t get back until late. I saw you going to the ice machine just across the hall. May’s door was open and she pulled you in-”

“You shouldn’t have-”

“-Seen that? For spies you two were careless. I checked the S.H.I.E.L.D. handbook it’s okay to have relationships, not that it’s encouraged. A bit like the don’t-ask-don’t-tell policy you yanks used to have.” Ward held the bridge of his nose between his fingers, which didn’t bother Jemma as much as the fact he wouldn’t meet her eyes.

“May and I… we aren’t any-”

“-Of my business... Sorry, bad habit.” Simmons apologized at interrupting once again. “I know that, which is why I’ve been avoiding you. I know you’ve noticed. Stealth was not taught at the Academy.” Simmons said this with a small smile, trying to make light of the very awkward conversation.

“I’m not sure I follow.” Said Ward with a confused face. He had removed his head from his hand and had taken a step towards her, which caused her to take a step back.

“It doesn’t matter. Don’t worry a bit. I won’t say anything about you and May.” Simmons turned her back to him and quickly swept away her sketches into a drawer. She slip her feet back into her slippers and made to exit the lab, when Ward grab her by the upper arm, with a gentleness she had never associated with Grant Ward.

“Tell me.” It was suppose to come out like a order but when the words left Wards mouth they sounded more like a plea.

“It’s silly really. It’s seems I developed a bit of a crush on you.” Simmons tried hard to keep her emotions in check and to be perfectly professional about the situation at hand. “ I’ve taken enough psychology courses to know it makes perfect sense. Freud called it Transference. Florence Nightingale Syndrome only in reverse, if you will. I imagine it began when you jumped out of the plane after me.”

“Simmons” Ward felt her try to pull away again and put his other hand on her hips and turned her to him. He tried to seek out her eyes, which this time refused to meet his own.

“It’ll pass. I’m sure of it. I didn’t even realize it until that night when I saw you and May.” Simmons was sure she sounded pathetic- like a silly little school girl. Especially, pathetic considering that she (with her two doctorates) couldn’t come up with a reasonable explanation to why when she saw them that night, she developed a minor throbbing in her chest and her eyes wouldn’t stop producing water. Not that she would share that information with Ward.

“Jemma! There’s nothing between May and I. It was just… physical.” Both Jemma and Grant flinched at the word physical. Neither said anything for a few moments. They just stood there in the middle of the lab. Grant grasp on her arm had slid to her hand. Jemma’s other hand had moved to linger lightly over his upper tricep. Jemma’s music still played and anyone passing by would have thought them to be two lovers sharing a last dance.

But the dance ended when Jemma took a step back and Grant let her. She crossed her now empty arms around herself.

“The point of the matter is,” Jemma stated “that you and May have a relationship even if it is just physical. You and I don’t. I’m a smart girl, Agent Ward. We are friends and nothing more.”

Jemma thought that would be the end of it. However as she went to exit the Lab she found Agent Ward blocking her escape. He stepped close to her, cupped his hand around her cheek, and tilted her head back just the slightest bit. Grant Ward was not a man of many expression- mostly numerous types of frowns and the rare smile- but his eyes give him away everytime.

The next thing Jemma knew is that Ward lips were on hers. Just a whisper of a kiss at first before he reached around her back and pulled her to him. His lips moved just the slightest against her, willing a response on her part.

She didn’t react immediately, but after a few moments she slowly gave in and moved her lips uncertainly against his until she sank in completely. She let her arms circle around his neck and the other found its way to his hair. Her thumb went over what must have been a sensitive spot (right behind his ear) and Grant let out a groan.

The noise caused reality to come crashing back to Jemma. Reason and logic started invading her mind once again.

“Grant-” Jemma started to say.

“Just please, Jemma. No more talking.” He leaned his forehead against hers. And she tucked back a bit of his hair and give a shy little nod. He wasted no time in seeking out her lips after that; afraid she’d overthink things and ask him to stop if he took his time.

His hands found their way to her thighs and lifted her up onto the counter in a move so fluid Jemma didn’t even realize it had happen. He let his hands roam up and down her sides before finding a home high up on her things, underneath her pajamas shorts. Jemma preferred his chest- mentally naming the different muscles as they rippled underneath her finger tips.

They stayed that way for a while. Before they pushed back just the slightest from each other. Just a moment so that they could catch their breath.  
“We should stop.” Said Jemma and this time Ward agreed, begrudgingly. The sun would be up soon and not long after so would the rest of the team. Ward helped straightened out Jemma’s clothing and tamed her hair a bit before helping her off the counter.

He followed her upstairs and to her bunk. Neither spoke, enough had been said already tonight.

“Jem- Simmons?” Grant corrected himself before asking “What do Seven Magpies mean.”

Jemma thought about it for a moment and then as she closed the door to her bunk she told Ward “Seven for a secret never to be told.”


End file.
